March

Year: 2008

Month: March

Boys will be boys

22 March 2008 by mark adamson

Boys will be boys

My little boy (Hayden)would be so happy to see this picture taken at Phillip Island WSB in MCN. I have no idea what the Oz blokes are photographing! Mark & Hayden Adamson

British Superbikes: Leon Haslam - 'I've been waiting to get back with Honda for a long time'

21 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

British Superbikes: Leon Haslam - 'I've been waiting to get back with Honda for a long time'

With 2006 and 2007 British Superbike Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari now departed to World Superbikes and 2007 runner-up Jonathan Rea following him to the Hannpsree team in World Supersport, you’d be fairly...

British Superbikes: Cal Crutchlow vowing to win title for HM Plant Honda

21 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

British Superbikes: Cal Crutchlow vowing to win title for HM Plant Honda

Heading in to just his second season as a British Superbike rider, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind what 22-year-old Cal Crutchlow wants to do this season – help Honda retain the...

British Superbikes: HM Plant Honda ready for action

21 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

British Superbikes: HM Plant Honda ready for action

MCN caught up with HM Plant Honda Team Manager Havier Beltran at the launch of the 2008 team at the Sports Café in Newcastle taking a look at the season ahead. MCN: What are your plans heading to the...

British Supersport: Steve Brogan gets first factory ride with HM Plant Honda

21 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

British Supersport: Steve Brogan gets first factory ride with HM Plant Honda

At the age of 27 most riders will be thinking they have missed their chance to get their first factory ride, but not HM Plant Honda’s Steve Brogan. The Liverpudlian has been signed up to ride in the...

Video: Revving Off - HM Plant Honda British Superbike team launches new Fireblade

21 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

The HM Plant Honda British Superbike team has officially unveiled their 2008 Honda Fireblades to be ridden by Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow at the team launch in Newcastle yesterday. Haslam, who has moved to HM Plant Honda after three years with Airwaves Ducati, is sure to be a favourite for the title and is looking forward to the season ahead. Crutchlow is also hopeful to carry on the momentum...

MotoGP: Riders request night race date change

21 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Riders request night race date change

Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi have made a formal request to get the date of next year’s Qatar night race pushed further back in the world championship calendar. Although Qatar...

MotoGP live on BBC internet

20 March 2008 by Phil Crossland

If you only have the five basic TV channels (live coverage is on BBC3), go to the ‘bbc.co.uk/sport’ page to watch MotoGP live. Picture quality is OK and it’s FREE!

MotoGP: Bridgestone boss hails Casey Stoner

20 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Bridgestone boss hails Casey Stoner

Senior Bridgestone boss Hirohide Hamashima has spoken of his delight after Casey Stoner made the perfect start to the defence of his MotoGP crown in Qatar recently. Having won 10 races to easily...

Hugging Valentino

20 March 2008 by jaydy46

Hugging Valentino

By chance I met with Valentino. I asked him for a sing and a hug. He is so great!

MotoGP: Casey Stoner keen for European season to start

20 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Casey Stoner keen for European season to start

MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner says he is looking forward to the world championship starting its European phase in Jerez later this month. And the Aussie reckons it will be five or six races into...

Short Track UK begins season at South Tees Motor Park

19 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Short Track UK begins season at South Tees Motor Park

The Silkolene Short Track UK national championships returns to the South Tees Motor Park next weekend for the opening round of the season. The home of the Redcar Bears speedway team will play host to...

MotoGP: James Toseland eager to get engine upgrade

19 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: James Toseland eager to get engine upgrade

British rider James Toseland says he can’t wait to get his hands on the latest spec Yamaha MotoGP motor after he made a stunning start to his MotoGP career in Qatar. Toseland qualified on the front...

MotoGP: Nicky Hayden hopeful on new chassis for Jerez

19 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Nicky Hayden hopeful on new chassis for Jerez

Nicky Hayden is hoping he will get his hands on a new spec chassis for the Spanish MotoGP in Jerez later this month after his nightmare start to 2008. The American was woefully off the pace in the...

Go Casey

18 March 2008 by bodd

Can’t sleep unless I have an MCN, Casey Stoner’s biggest fan!

MotoGP: Casey Stoner not fussed about front qualifying tyre

18 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Casey Stoner not fussed about front qualifying tyre

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner says it is not vital that Bridgestone rolls out a new front qualifying tyre in 2008. One area where Michelin has a clear advantage over Bridgestone at present is...

MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso plays down 2008 hopes

18 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso plays down 2008 hopes

Honda rookie Andrea Dovizioso has played down his hopes of mounting a serious MotoGP title threat despite the impressive start to his premier class career in Qatar. The former world 125 champion...

ACU Suzuki GSX-R600 Trophy to support British MotoGP

18 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

ACU Suzuki GSX-R600 Trophy to support British MotoGP

The Suzuki GSX-R600 Trophy is to get a boost of two extra rounds for 2008 after the championship was invited to support the British MotoGP. It was thought that some of the original double headers...

MotoGP: Night race talks held for Sepang

17 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Night race talks held for Sepang

The company behind the multi-million pound lighting project in Qatar have confirmed preliminary discussions have taken place with Sepang circuit officials about hosting a night race. The Malaysian...

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi pushing for Bridgestone front qualifier

17 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi pushing for Bridgestone front qualifier

Valentino Rossi is continuing to push for Bridgestone to roll out a new front qualifying tyre to help bridge the soft rubber advantage held by rivals Michelin. Michelin has dominated winter testing on...

British Superbikes: Airwaves Ducati positive for 2008 after Calafat test

17 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

British Superbikes: Airwaves Ducati positive for 2008 after Calafat test

Airwaves Ducati spent a successful four days last week testing at Spain’s Calafat circuit and are now confident about the season ahead with the new Ducati 1098. The only set back was Leon Camier...

Ryan Villopoto and Josh Hill win supercross in Minneapolis

17 March 2008 by Paul Harris

Ryan Villopoto and Josh Hill win supercross in Minneapolis

Ryan Villopoto and Josh Hill took the victories in the 11th round of the AMA Supercross championship at the weekend in Minneapolis. For Ryan Villopoto, it’s a welcome return to form for his first win...

Racing results round-up: March 15-16

17 March 2008 by MCN Sportsdesk

Racing results round-up: March 15-16

Each week we will have a full list of the racing results from the previous weekend. Click on the name of the championship you wish to see the results of. ROAD RACING, ANGLESEY ROAD RACING, CADWELL...

MotoGP: Safety Commission numbers swell

17 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Safety Commission numbers swell

World champion Casey Stoner has helped swell the numbers on the MotoGP Safety Commission to six riders. Until the middle of last season, only Italian duo Valentino Rossi, Loris Capirossi and American...

World Supersport Valencia test: Craig Jones denied top spot in final minutes

14 March 2008 by Michael Guy

World Supersport Valencia test: Craig Jones denied top spot in final minutes

Britain’s Craig Jones was denied top spot on the final day of the two-day World Supersport test in Valencia. Jones held top spot until the final 10 minutes when he was relegated to third place by...

World Superbikes Valencia test: Karl Muggeridge leads the way

14 March 2008 by Michael Guy

World Superbikes Valencia test: Karl Muggeridge leads the way

Karl Muggeridge showed the rest of the World Superbike field how it’s done by posting a seriously fast lap on a qualifying tyre to dip under Troy Bayliss’ previous best lap of the Spanish circuit.

British Superbikes team up with BKS to improve rider safety

14 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

British Superbikes team up with BKS to improve rider safety

Manufacturer BKS has teamed up with the British Superbike Championship to improve rider safety. Throughout the 2008 championship the Northamptonshire-based company will be sent all crash-damaged...

MotoGP: Casey Stoner tough to beat says John Hopkins

14 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Casey Stoner tough to beat says John Hopkins

Factory Kawasaki rider John Hopkins believes reigning world champion Casey Stoner is going to be tough to beat after the Aussie’s blistering start to the 2008 MotoGP series. Casey Stoner’s title...

Video: World Supersport Valencia test: Craig Jones fifth fastest

14 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Britain’s Craig Jones is out testing his Honda CBR600RR in Valencia with the rest of the World Supersport riders this week. On the first day of testing Jones was the fifth fastest rider recording a best lap time of 1:37.972 on his Parkalgar Racing Team Honda. Check out the video below as MCN’s World Superbike reporter Michael Guy managed to get a video of Craig Jones out on the Spanish track on...

World Superbikes Valencia test: Ruben Xaus blitzes lap record

14 March 2008 by Michael Guy

World Superbikes Valencia test: Ruben Xaus blitzes lap record

Spaniard Ruben Xaus made the most of his one and only day of testing by breaking the circuit best lap record held by Ducati’s Troy Bayliss to finish his test over one second faster than his closest...

World Supersport Valencia test: Graeme Gowland fastest before big crash

13 March 2008 by Michael Guy

World Supersport Valencia test: Graeme Gowland fastest before big crash

Graeme Gowland ended the opening day of testing at Valencia in the medical centre after suffering a massive crash at the fast turn three onboard his Bejan Honda CBR600RR. Valencia test day one...

World Supersport Valencia test: Chris Walker on form

13 March 2008 by Michael Guy

World Supersport Valencia test: Chris Walker on form

Kawasaki’s Chris Walker secured the second fastest time in the opening day of the two day official World Supersport and Superbike test in Valencia today with a lap time 0.3 seconds off the lap record.

MotoGP: Danny Webb reflects on career best finish in Qatar

13 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Danny Webb reflects on career best finish in Qatar

Just four days after celebrating his best ever world 125GP championship finish, British teenager Danny Webb has been looking back on his brilliant start to 2008. Webb finished sixth in the floodlit...

Alex Hofmann undergoes successful surgery

13 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Alex Hofmann undergoes successful surgery

German Alex Hofmann has undergone successful surgery to remove a plate and 15 screws from the left hand he seriously injured eight months ago at the Laguna Seca MotoGP in America. Hofmann suffered...

MotoGP: Michelin - Racing technology key for road bike development

12 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Michelin - Racing technology key for road bike development

Michelin boss Jean-Philippe Weber believes the rapid development in MotoGP technology must not be stifled, with advances in electronics vital to improve production bikes on the road. Weber believes...

Video: James Toseland talks after his Qatar MotoGP debut

12 March 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Video: James Toseland talks after his Qatar MotoGP debut

James Toseland finished an incredible sixth in his first ever MotoGP race last weekend and now you can see how he felt after the race as he talks for the camera. Check out the video below to see the...